1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to bird feeders, namely, tubular bird feeders. More specifically, the present invention relates to bases and seed deflectors for such tubular bird feeders.
2. Background of the Related Art
In the bird feeder industry, tubular bird feeders are very well known. These feeders include a tubular main feed body which is commonly transparent or translucent so the amount of feed remaining therein can be easily seen. Feed ports in the tubular body permit birds to gain access to the feed therein. A tubular bird feeder also typically includes a number of perches routed through or attached to the tubular body to support a bird during feeding through one of the feed ports.
A tubular bird feeder typically has an open top and bottom end. The top end is covered by a removable cap so feed may be introduced into the tubular body. Bails are also provided so the feeder can be hung from a support, such as a hook or other structure. The bottom of the main tubular body is also closed, typically permanently, by a bottom base or cap. This base is usually screwed on, riveted or otherwise fixedly secured to the bottom of the tubular main body to keep it closed. A post mount can be provided in the bottom of the bottom cap. Typically a post mount is threaded into a female-threaded aperture in the bottom of the base.
The bases of prior art tubular bird feeders usually extend up into the tubular body. The top surface of the base of the feeder is commonly tapered or angled in some fashion to direct feed toward one or more of the feed ports at the lowermost portion of the tubular main body. This ensures that birds can gain access to all of the feed within the tubular feeder and that no feed goes to waste.
These known tubular feeders suffer from various problems that make them difficult to maintain. Remaining amounts of feed typically accumulate at the bottom of the feeder. When this feed mixes with rain, and the like, the feed at the lower portion of the feeder becomes packed and dirty making it difficult, if not impossible, for birds to access it. Moreover, once the feed is wet and/or dirty, birds may not even wish to consume it. Since the bases of these known tubular feeders are secured to the bottom of the feeder, they are difficult to remove. If a base is permanently secured to the bottom of the feeder, it will not be able to be removed. Threaded fasteners, rivets and other permanent devices are used to secure the base, with a seed deflector thereon, to bottom of the tubular main body. These fasteners require tools, such as a screwdriver or wrench, to remove the base for cleaning the feeder. The requirement of tools increases the burden of cleaning a feeder and further makes a bird feeder owner less likely to clean their feeder. If, for example, rivets are used, it may not even be possible to remove the base at all to gain access to the bottom of the tubular portion of the feeder.
Some seed deflectors are integrally constructed with the base, which is usually permanently attached to the housing of the feeder making it virtually impossible to effectively clean the feeder. Thus, the enclosed end of the feeder where the seed deflector is located is particularly hard to clean. To further cause cleanliness problems, seed deflectors are often formed of a separate construction from the base. For example, the base member may be metallic while a seed deflector made of plastic is permanently secured thereon, such as by screws or rivets. Dirt, grime and bacteria can easily collect between and about the separate seed deflector and base parts.
Therefore, it is highly desirably to not only gain access to the base of a bird feeder to generally clean it but there is a desire to gain full access to the seed deflector as well to clean it thoroughly to remove all of the dirt, grime and bacteria that has collected. It is also desirable for a user to be able to easily change the base for aesthetic reasons. However, it is not possible to disassemble prior art seed deflectors from their base because they are permanently attached thereto. As a result, there is a need for a seed deflector for a bird feeder than be easily detached from the base so that it can be quickly and easily cleaned.
Also, there is a desire in the art of bird feeders to simply and unify the assembly of bird feeder bases and seed deflectors. As stated above, seed deflectors can be either integrally attached to the base or permanently affixed thereto by rivets, fasteners and the like. There also needs to be a way to easily change a seed deflector so that it can meet the needs of the user without having to change the entire base configuration. Furthermore, there is a need for a bird feeder base and seed deflector configuration where a single base can be used for a wide array of bird feeder sizes and shape where the seed deflector can be easily changed to suit the base construction to the particular feeder environment and feed port pattern at hand.
For example, there is a desire for the same base to be used, but the seed deflector can be interchangeable depending on the seed type to be placed in feeder. Also, there is a desire for the same base to be compatible with feeders of different sizes to facilitate the manufacturing process to reduce the number of parts across a line of feeders. Also, it is possible that the use may wish to change the color of the seed deflector to, in turn, change the appearance of the feeder to add interest or, perhaps, attract different types of birds to the feeder.